Maguire’s ‘inevitable’ move to Trinity ahead of a big summer for the whole family

There was an air of inevitability around Joe Maguire’s decision to sign for Gainsborough Trinity last week.

The experienced defender, still only 26, has often sent an admiring glance in the direction of the Northolme and has previous with one of the club’s management team.

So when the call came, it didn’t take long to make up his mind, having already decided not to return to pr

“A new manager came in at Buxton and they wanted to sign me, but they wanted to train further away, in the Manchester area at the start of pre-season and it was just a bit too much for me,” he said.

“I’ve wanted wanted to play for Gainsborough, I’ve heard it’s a great club, it’s not too far from where I live in Sheffield.

“It’s always been one of those clubs I wanted to try and play for.

“The assistant, John Reed, knows me, I played under him at Buxton some years back and it was a no brainer as soon as they called me really.”

It suited the centre-half down to the ground to get his immediate future sorted, given the monumental summer that lies ahead for the whole Maguire family.

Younger brother Harry is likely to represent his country in Russia, with the rest of the Maguire clan watching on from the stands.

“I like to do it nice and early so I can relax a bit and this is probably one of the earliest I’ve had,” said Joe, the eldest of three professional footballers in the family.

“I’ve got quite a bit on this summer, I’m going to the World Cup to watch my brother play so it’s quite a big one.

“I wasn’t going to miss my brother playing for England in a World Cup for anything.”

As for his own career, Maguire has been in and around the Evo-Stik Northern Premier and the division above ever since he entered non-league football at the age of 18, after his release from the professional game.